Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling was criticised by a district judge yesterday
after he failed for a third time to show up in court to answer assault
charges.

The 18-year-old England international is accused of common assault after a 27-year-old woman, who is known to the player, suffered “slight” facial injuries during an incident in the Toxteth area on Nov 2.

Sterling did not attend the hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday but was allowed to enter a formal not guilty plea to the charges through his solicitor, Mick Hogan.

The player had failed to appear at two previous hearings in relation to the incident and District Judge Lloyd issued a warning to him that the trial would go ahead without him on May 20 if he failed to turn up. She said: “I am sure he understands that he will need to attend. If he doesn’t the trial will proceed without him.”

Earlier in the short hearing the judge questioned his absence, saying: “It would be much more useful if he was here. But anyway, there it is. We have got what we have got.”

Sterling was initially summonsed to Liverpool Youth Court as the incident happened when he was 17, but he turned 18 in December and the matter was transferred to the adult courts.

The Jamaica-born star made his senior international debut for England last November against Sweden and is likely to be one of the key players for England Under-21s in the European Championship in Israel from June 5-18.

A Football Association spokesman said it was aware of the impeding court case but said at the moment it was not an issue in terms of the player being selected.

Sterling has earned plaudits for his performances for Liverpool this season, although his form in recent matches has dipped and he has been a substitute for the last two league matches having been an virtual ever-present in the first half of the campaign.

Suggestions that he was suffering from burnout were quickly knocked down on Friday by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, although he conceded it was inevitable that such a young player might experience a drop-off in performance.

“This is a real tough league for an experienced player so it is no surprise that for a young kid that happens to him,” Rodgers said. “I just have to protect him. I have not mentioned burnout at all. What I know is that if he never kicks a ball for the rest of the season, he has had an outstanding season.”